To Be Dumped In Middle-Earth
by CourftheCat
Summary: When best friends Annie, Leah and Ellie set off for Comic Con in America, the last thing they expect is to die and wake up as hobbits and an elf. Yeah, it's another one of them 'Join the Fellowship' stories. They're not supposed to be Mary-Sues. PippinxOC FrodoxOC LegolasxOC Rated T because I found Chapter One scary. Slight AU.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Leah, we'll miss it!" Annie Henderson and Ellie Lennox called back to their best friend, Leah Oakley. They were already late to board their flight to America for Comic Con without Leah dragging behind. She was the slowest runner of the trio and her massive suitcase really wasn't helping.

"I'm coming!" Leah panted. They reached the gate just in time to wave their passports under the nose of the flight attendant and have their boarding passes checked.

"Phew!" Ellie breathed. "That was close!" they trotted up the steps of the plane and held up their passports again for the air hostesses who were clearly more interested in checking out the captain who was, in fairness, quite good looking. They flopped into the three seats at the front and sighed. Ellie reached into her bag and produced her new Kindle Fire.

"Sorry," the air hostess said, "All electrical items must be turned off until the seatbelt light goes out."

"Looks like Lord of the Rings will have to wait, then?" Leah smiled. Ellie was the one who was completely LOTR crazy, and had 'converted' her friends by making them watch all three films back to back at a sleepover a few years back.

Of the three girls, Leah was the tallest. She was skinny, with practically no muscle on her whatsoever. She had long, dirty-blonde hair that reached down to just beyond her shoulders. She always had pale skin which contrasted with her hazel-brown eyes. She was obsessed with everything she knew, like Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who and The Lion King, and found herself quoting them in her everyday situations.

Ellie was the shortest, with shoulder-length blonde hair and grey-blue eyes. She also had pale skin and was slim, but stronger than Leah - the strongest of the three. She was also the most responsible of her friends; quick to anger in some situations, but also understanding, having been through many tough situations considering her age.

Annie was between Ellie and Leah height-wise, and also by age. However, when it came to levels of maturity, Annie was the silliest and didn't care much for consequences until they hit her. She wasn't much of a daredevil, but, if she told you she was nineteen years old, you wouldn't believe it from her personality. She had fluffy ginger hair that was impossible to tame, and her face was covered in orange freckles to match. She had brown eyes, and her skin was a slightly darker peachy colour to her friends. She wasn't quite as skinny as her friends, but she was the fastest runner - only by a bit to Ellie.

Leah was the oldest, turning twenty in the next month. Then was Annie, only a month younger than Leah, and Ellie was the youngest, though she acted like the oldest. The three were like sisters - completely inseparable, bound by a friendship that they had sworn never to break, no matter what happened.

Ellie had been eagerly anticipating the bleep to signal that the seatbelts could be removed and she could read. She had read the Lord of the Rings at least a dozen times, and they never got old. She knew every character, from the mains like Frodo, to the not so well-known ones like Glorfindel.

Ellie had been so engrossed in her Kindle that the sudden bleep of the seatbelt sign made her jump. Annie tapped her shoulder and silently gestured to the orange glow that was coming from the wing, where the jet was.

"That's not good," Ellie murmured.

"Not really," Annie agreed. They decided it would be best not to tell Leah. She would flip.

"Could I have your attention please?" the speaker said suddenly. "This is your captain speaking. I regret to announce that we will be making an emergency landing on the water due to technical issues. Please prepare to depart." From behind them, a child began to cry. Annie's face softened, pitying it. This could end its life.

Landing on the water was not as tedious as it sounded, although it was cold until the girls received a dinghy.

"What now?" Leah asked.

"Now," Ellie sighed, "We wait."

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It was still dark when a horn sounded in the distance. Leah yawned. Still half-asleep, she looked up to see the outline of a ferry looming over them. She blinked, and then realised - it was not stopping.

"Annie! Ellie! Wake up, QUICK!" the two girls groaned and opened their eyes in time to feel the wake of the ferry before them, before it pierced the dinghy with such a force that it killed them instantly.


	2. Chapter 2

Annie groaned. She checked her head to check she still had it. Good. She guessed she must be in heaven - she didn't think that hell would be nearly as beautiful as this. And there was nowhere else she could be - was there?  
Trying to sit up, Annie grimaced in agony and let out a small yelp. A small, round head poked round the door.  
"Careful." The boy was recognisable from her past, but she wasn't sure where. He helped her back into a lying position, before she looked him up and down.  
He had a mop of dark brown curls on his head, and two pointy ears that stuck out from beneath them. He had sapphire-blue eyes that penetrated her own, though they softened as she looked into them. She looked at his feet. They were abnormally large, with brown-ish curly hair covering them. _Funny_, she thought. They looked like hobbit feet.  
"Where am I?" the boy smiled.  
"You are in the Shire," he replied, "In Bag End."  
"Bag End..." Annie murmured. The name was familiar from back home. She tried to remember. Two faces popped into her head, the faces of her best friends. "Ellie and Leah!"  
"Who?"  
"My friends," Annie murmured.  
"We did find you with another," the boy told her, "But only one." He gestured to the bed beside her.  
"Leah!" Annie smiled.  
"We did wonder what your names were..." he said expectantly. Annie hesitated.  
"Oh!" she realised. "My name's Annabeth Henderson, but you can call me Annie."  
"And your friend?"  
"Leah Oakley."  
"My name's Frodo," he replied. "Frodo Baggins."


	3. Chapter 3

Ellie stretched, before recoiling in pain. Her muscles ached, as if she hadn't used them for days. She tried to remember where she was, but all she could think of was the ferry, the pain, the shriek of her best friends.

"Leah?" she called anxiously. "Annie?" nothing. She wearily opened her eyes, only to close them again quickly. The room was so bright! The light was definitely natural, but it was as if someone was interrogating her and had put one of those lamps over her. She slowly opened her eyes again, letting them adjust to the light. Ellie took in her surroundings. She had seen the Lord of the Rings movies enough times to know where she was, but... it wasn't _possible_. There was no way she was lying in the house of Lord Elrond, no matter how much she wished it were true. She reached up and put her hand over the throbbing pain in her head, only to feel something different. She ran her finger along the outline of her ear, gasping as it delicately pointed upwards. She pinched herself. OW! She wasn't dreaming. She was really in Rivendell, and she was really an elf.


	4. Chapter 4

"Careful now," Frodo took Annie's hand as she sat at the edge of the bed. She took s deep breath and was about to stand up when she saw her feet.

"Woah..." she murmured. She lifted one. It was completely out of proportion with curly hair on top of it. "I'm a hobbit!"

It was at that point that Leah stirred. Annie and Frodo looked up. Annie swung herself back into the bed so that Frodo could go to Leah. Her eyes flickered open. She saw Frodo's haunting blue eyes and smiled.  
"Hi..." she murmured.  
Hello," he replied. "You're Leah, right?" she nodded shyly.

"Where are Annie and Ellie?" she asked quickly.  
"Hi, Leah," Annie waved, before adding an "Ow." Waving should not be that painful.  
"Where's Ellie?" Annie looked at Frodo.  
"We're not sure..." he murmured. "We only found you two."

"We?" Annie asked. As if on cue, another hobbit stepped into Frodo's hobbit hole.  
"Mr Frodo?" he called. The girls recognised the voice and smiled.

"We're in here, Sam," Frodo called. Enter Samwise Gamgee. He smiled in relief when he saw that the girls were awake.  
"Hi," Annie smiled, making sure not to wave this time. "I'm Annie." she managed to reach out a hand for him to shake.

"Sam," he replied.  
"I'm Leah," Leah added.  
"Funny name," Sam commented. "I've never heard of it before." Leah opened her mouth to rant at him about how that was not how you adress a lady, but Annie interrupted her.  
"We're not from round here," she said quickly.  
"Where _are_ you from?" Frodo asked. "I don't know any other places with hobbits."

"I'm not a hobbit!" Leah shrieked. "I'm a human!" Sam and Frodo exchanged concerned glances. "Aren't I?"  
"Leah," Annie murmured, "I don't think we're on Earth anymore. I think we're in Middle-earth." Leah looked blankly at Annie for a moment before the news settled in.  
"WHAT?!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Ah, you're awake," the obvious voice of Lord Elrond echoed through the room and he walked into view. Ellie sat up quickly at the noise, wincing in pain at the movement of her aching muscles. "We were wondering when you would wake. It was very strange to find a young elf like you so far from Rivendell." Ellie looked up and bowed her head as Lord Elrond stepped into the room.  
"My Lord."

"Please, call me Elrond," he smiled. "What is your name, may I ask?"

"Elanor Lennox," Ellie replied, "But my friends call me Ellie."

"Well, Ellie," he smiled, "I have arranged a guided tour of Rivendell for you today, with one of our close friends - Legolas Thranduilion, the Prince of Mirkwood."

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"It's even more beautiful when you're actually here," Ellie murmured.  
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked.  
"Well, back home, Rivendell is talked about like it's too good to be true."

"Where _do_ you live?" Ellie hesitated. The memories of Earth were slightly jumbled.  
"Er..." she thought a moment. "It's a long way from here. I don't remember much else."

"Oh," he sighed. "That's a shame. It must be very difficult for you." Ellie nodded absentmindedly. They were back at her room. "It was nice meeting you. Perhaps you will meet me for dinner tonight?" Ellie nodded, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. "I look forward to it." He leant down and gently kissed her cheek. "See you at sunset." He walked away, leaving Ellie in a trance, holding her cheek lovingly.


	6. Chapter 6

"How does that work?" Leah asked angrily for the tenth time. "I want to go home."

"Leah, we can't go home, ever," Annie sighed. "We died there, we can't go back." Leah's eyes began to water as the words hit home. _We can't go home, ever._

Frodo looked at Leah, pity in his eyes. He cautiously put his arm round her, hoping she wouldn't find it too weird, considering they had just met. But instead of pulling away from the hug, Leah rested her head on Frodo's shoulder.  
"You two are welcome to stay as long as you like," Frodo smiled. "My uncle won't mind. In fact," he said after a moment's pause, "It's his birthday, his 111th. You'll be able to come to his party, I hope?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Leah grinned, suddenly happy again at the thought of a party.  
"Great!" Frodo grinned.


	7. Chapter 7

Ellie looked for a dress to wear. She opened her wardrobe and her eyes immediately fell upon a beautiful purple dress and she smiled. Perfect.

Ellie was sat curiously looking at one of the books on the shelf when the door opened. Legolas peeked round the door and smiled. She hadn't seen him yet. He stepped into the room and closed the door as silently as he could.

"My lady." Ellie spun round to see Legolas holding a hand out to her. "Coming?" Ellie smiled and took his hand.

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"We should probably be getting back," Legolas said, looking up at the stars.

"I guess so," Ellie sighed. She enjoyed being in Legolas' company. It was so peaceful. "Thanks, Legolas." Ellie smiled, her eyes catching his for a moment. "Today was great." Legolas returned the smile.

"Thank you for coming, meleth nin." Ellie blushed. She didn't expect Legolas to feel that way about her so quickly. She felt a warm tingle down her spine as she wondered if she felt the same. She had fallen in love with Tolkien's fictional character, but to love the real person was different. She pondered this thought the whole way back to her room. Was she in love?

_TRANSLATIONS - meleth nin - my love_


	8. Chapter 8

"Having fun?" Frodo asked Leah. They were at Bilbo's party and Leah had gotten herself a little tipsy on hobbit ale, which tasted surprisingly like Stella Artois.

"Yeah, this is great!" she laughed.

"Dance with me?" Frodo asked, holding out a hand. Leah shrugged.

"Why not?" She took his hand and they stepped out to join the other dancers. Frodo seemed to be good at dancing. It would have been the perfect dance couple, but Leah had two left feet. They danced round and round until they were out of breath and dizzy. Frodo spun Leah round once more before they went and sat down, panting for breath. Leah took another swig of ale before quickly pulling Frodo in for a kiss. She was drunk and Frodo knew it. He did have feelings for her that stretched a bit further than friendship, and he hoped she felt the same. But he had been drunk before, and he knew that she wouldn't remember this tomorrow, when she had bigger problems on her mind. Like a hangover. But there was something in the kiss that wasn't alcohol. In that kiss, Frodo felt the slightest hint of love, and in her subconscious mind, Leah felt it too.

In another part of the party, Annie saw a cart of fireworks. Intrigued, she wondered over to take a closer look, and found two hobbits climbing up to get a firework.

"Hey!" she called. "What're you doing?"

"Nothing," one snapped. He had blond hair and brown eyes. The other rolled his eyes.

"Aw, come on, Merry," the other moaned. He had ginger hair, soft green eyes, a cheeky grin and a Scottish accent. (Do they call it that in the Shire?) He smiled at Annie, almost making her trust him. Perhaps she would have done. If he hadn't been messing around with fireworks.

"Fine," Merry folded his arms. "We'll tell you if you promise to help."

"Deal."

"Me and Pippin are going to set off one of the big fireworks," he explained. "You can keep watch."

"Er, guys," Annie said slowly, "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Pippin looked over at her.

"Positive," he replied, before setting the firework alight and gave it to Merry.

"Pippin," he growled, "You're supposed to stick it in the ground."

"It is in the ground."

"Guys..." the two hobbits glanced over at Annie as she pointed up. Pippin and Merry looked up in time to realise they were under a tent, before the firewirk flew upwards. They were no longer under a tent. Pippin and Merry watched in amusement as the other hobbits at the party ducked, screaming as the firework arranged itself into a dragon. It exploded over the lake and the hobbits cheered in delight. Annie shook her head. Hobbits were weird.

"Let's get another one!" Pippin grinned. The three hobbits were covered in soot, but it didn't bother them. Pippin and Merry suddenly cried out in pain. Annie turned to see Gandalf the Grey pinching them by the ears.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck," he sighed, "And Peregrin Took. I might have known." He looked at Annie. "And who's this? Annabeth Henderson, I pressume?"

"Yes sir."

"Frodo told me about you and your friend," he said. "You're not from round here, are you?" Annie shook her head. "You are not of this world." Annie frowned. How could he know?

Leah and Frodo sat down next to Sam, who was gazing into the distance.

"Go on, Sam," Frodo laughed, "Ask Rosie for a dance." Leah raised her eyebrows.

"Ooh, Rosie!" she teased. Sam gave her a playful shove before getting up.

"I think I'll just get another ale."

"I second that!" Leah grinned.

"Oh no you don't!" Frodo laughed, pushing towards the circle of dancers, straight into Rosie's arms. Frodo and Leah sat and laughed as Sam turned scarlet. Leah saw Frodo looking at her from the corner of her eye. She turned to him but he dodged her eye, quickly diverting his gaze to the dancers. Leah smiled to herself.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ah, Ellie," Elrond smiled. She turned to him. "There's someone I'd like you to meet." Ellie followed him into his office where a beautiful Elven woman was standing. "This is my daughter, Arwen."

"My lady," Ellie bowed her head. Arwen smiled.

"There is no need for you to call me anything other than my name." Ellie nodded. "I hear your name is Elanor?" Ellie nodded again. "A beautiful flower. It rather suits you."

"Thank you," Ellie smiled. Elrond got up and walked to the door.

"I will leave you to talk." He walked out the door.

Ellie and Arwen talked a long time. Arwen told her of her lover, Aragorn, the son of Arathorn, and heir to the throne of Gondor.

"Do you have a lover?" she asked. Ellie blushed.  
"You do?"

"There is one," Ellie murmured, "One person who has captured my heart."

"And who is this?" Ellie sighed.

"...Legolas."


	10. Chapter 10

"Speech!" Annie, Pippin and Merry looked up. They looked over at the other hobbits gathering in the field and left their duties. They ran over to sit with Frodo and Leah. Bilbo stepped up onto a barrel to face them.

"My dear Bagginses and Boffins," he began. Cheers were thrown from the crowd. "Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Burrowses, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Brockhouses and Proudfoots!"

"ProudFEET!" one hobbit yelled back. The crowd laughed.

"Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday!" cheers of 'happy birthday' came from the hobbits. "Eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such admirable hobbits! I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." The crowd was silent.

"What does that even mean?" Leah whispered.

"Basically," Annie replied, "I don't really know you and I don't really like you."

"Charming," Leah said sarcastically. Merry elbowed her in the stomach.

"Shush!" Bilbo's hand strayed to his pocket.

"I regret to announce that this is the end," he murmured, "I'm leaving now. I bid you all a fond farewell." He looked Frodo dead in the eye. "Goodbye." And with that, Bilbo disappeared.

"What?!" Pippin murmured. Annie and Leah looked at each other, and then at Frodo. He looked just as bewildered as they did.


	11. Chapter 11

"Arwen!" Elrond called. Arwen and Ellie looked up and Arwen walked over to her father. Ellie, having adjusted to her new elf senses, could hear every word. "Arwen, I will need you to ride out soon," he said. "The ringbearer will soon be to Bree and Aragorn will bring them here. I need you to ride out and meet them."  
"Why, father?" Arwen asked. She could see from the look in her father's eyes that she did not have the whole story.  
"I have foreseen the ringbearer's arrival in Rivendell. He was injured and close to death. If Middle-earth is to be saved, you must ride out and bring him back for healing."  
"As you wish, father," she murmured. She walked back to Ellie. "I leave for Bree in three days," she said briefly, "And I shall return with another." Ellie nodded. She decided to go and find Legolas. They had become quite close over the last few days she had been in Rivendell. She was still pondering whether her feelings for him were true, but there was only one way to find out. Get to know him and see.


	12. Chapter 12

It had been two days since the disappearance of Bilbo, and Hobbiton was just beginning to settle down. People were still asking Frodo questions, but they were less urgent. The other mystery was why Gandalf left in such a hurry. Annie and Leah silently knew, but, as dedicated Whovians, knew the consequences of telling the hobbits. They knew that Frodo would find out soon enough.

The hobbits were having a usual night at the Green Dragon. Sam, Frodo, Annie and Leah were walking out, and Sam turned a little red as Rosie smiled brightly and said goodnight. He left the others as they walked up the path to Bag End. Stepping through the door, the three were met by an eerie silence. It was the same as every night, but they all had the feeling that they were being watched.  
Frodo and Leah walked slowly into the room, where the fire had gone out. Annie trailed slowly after, wondering when Gandalf would strike. Her head was spinning. Ever since they had woken in Middle-earth, her memories of England and home were becoming weaker. She could barely remember the face of her own mother! All she could remember was that she had parents, a brother, a sister and a rabbit - Smudge. The memories of him were most vivid. He had been her closest friend and soulmate, since she first got him. She couldn't remember when that was.

A yell of surprise interrupted her thoughts. It was followed by the voice of Gandalf.  
"Is it secret? Is it safe?"


	13. Chapter 13

Ellie had been wondering around aimlessly all day. Her Legolas-hunt had been unsuccessful, and she had nothing to do. She decided to sit and draw. It was one of her favourite past times, and she had found a piece of scroll and a feather quill. She sat and doodled a while.

"What're you drawing?" the voice made her jump. She looked up to see Legolas.  
"Would you stop doing that?" she smiled and he sat down next to her.  
"Where would be the fun in that?" he laughed, and looked down at her drawing.  
"It's my dog, Nula, from back home," she murmured. "I don't remember her much. I don't remember anything really." A tear fell from her eye, but Legolas was quick to wipe it away with his thumb. "I don't even remember my family." That was when the tears began to fall like crazy. Legolas enveloped her in a hug and let her cry into his chest. He began to sing softly in Elvish and rocked her gently.  
"Keep remembering, Ellie," he murmured. "Remember and nothing will be lost."


	14. Chapter 14

Frodo, Annie and Leah were about to set off for Bree, the Ring in Frodo's pocket. Just as they were about to go, a rustling came from the bushes. Gandalf quickly shot his staff out the window. They heard an 'oof' of pain and Leah winced. Gandalf stuck his arm out and pulled the hobbit in through the window.  
"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee!" he roared. "Have you been eavesdropping?!"  
"I ain't been dropping no eaves sir, honest," he pleaded. "I was just cutting the grass under the window there."  
"A little late to be trimming the verge, don't you think?"  
"I heard raised voices."  
"What did you hear?"  
"N-nothing important," he whimpered. "That is, I heard an awful lot about a ring, and a dark lord, and something about the end of the world, but-" he paused a moment. "Oh please, Gandalf, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything... unnatural."  
"No," Gandalf smiled, looking over at the girls, who were failing to stifle their laughter. "I have a much better use for you."

"Come along, Samwise," Gandalf called. Sam had become the pack horse for the journey, as punishment for eavesdropping. Leah trotted along happily beside Frodo - they had become firm friends - and so Annie fell back to talk to Sam.  
"Oh, hello, miss Annie," he smiled, happy for the company.  
"Hi, Sam," she replied. "Do you want a hand with that?"  
"Nah, s'alright, miss, I can handle it," he said. "Nice girl like you shouldn't be carrying stuff - that's a bloke's job." Annie laughed.  
"Okay," she gave in. "If you want to be like that." Sam's face fell.  
"Oh, um..." he replied quickly, "I didn't mean to upset you, I-" he paused as Annie began to laugh hysterically.  
"Oh, Sam," she giggled, "You are funny! I was only joking around." Leah and Frodo looked round at them.  
"Does he... like her?" Leah asked. Frodo chuckled.  
"Nah, he's like that with everyone," he explained. "He only has eyes for Rosie Cotton."

As the hobbits approached a large cornfield, Sam stopped.  
"Well," he sighed, "This is it."  
"This is... what?" Frodo asked.  
"I take one more step," he said, "And I'll be the furthest away from home I've ever been." The other hobbits smiled.  
"Come on, Sam," Annie said, putting her arm round his shoulder.


	15. Chapter 15

Legolas and Ellie had been spending more and more time together lately, and Ellie was beginning to feel more than friendship for him, and wondered if he felt the same. He had called her 'my love', but he hadn't said anything like that in a while. She had been pondering this for a couple of days now, until the questions were answered...

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"Ellie!" Legolas called. She turned to him and smiled. "Would you like to go out for the day? Arwen leaves today, and I feel I will get in the way."

"I'd love to, Legolas," she beamed.

About an hour later, Ellie and Legolas were lying next to each other in a clearing. Silence was surrounding them, but it was blissful, and it made them feel at ease. Legolas looked over at Ellie, and she looked back at him.

"It's strange," she murmured.

"What?"

"My whole life I was trying to find a place to fit in," she said, "But I start afresh here, completely by accident, and I knew straight away that I belong here." Legolas smiled.

"Rivendell has that effect on people."

"But it's more than that, Legolas," Ellie sighed. "The world never felt as right as it does now. Being here with you..." she trailed off.

"What?"

"I want to stay here with you for the rest of my life." Legolas' face lit up.

"Ellie, I want that more than anything." He shuffled closer to her and she smiled up at him. Their lips drew together like magnets, their eyes flickered shut and their lips touched. And Ellie knew where her home was.


	16. Chapter 16

Annie had run on ahead into the cornfield to see where Leah and Frodo had got to. _Probably off snogging somewhere,_ she decided. She saw right through both of them - they definitely liked each other. She just wondered if they each knew.

Amongst the corn, Annie found Frodo and Leah (not snogging), but lost Sam. The three heard him calling them.

"Mr Frodo? Miss Annie? Leah?" they ran round the corner and he sighed in relief. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Why would you think that?" Frodo laughed.

"Just something Gandalf said," he murmured.

"What did he say?"

"'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee!' And I don't mean to."

"Sam, we're still in the Shire," Frodo chuckled. "What could happen?" As if on cue, two hobbits bumped into them and knocked Frodo and Annie over. Annie recognised the hobbit on top of her immediately.

"Hello, Pippin!" she smiled. She hadn't seen him since the party, but over the course of that night, they had become good friends.

"Annie!" he grinned. Annie shoved him off of her and looked over at the others. Sam and Leah were hauling Merry off of Frodo.

"Sorry, Frodo," Merry said, holding a hand out to help him up. He bent down and picked up an armful of veg. "Here," he handed them to Sam. "Hold these."

"You've been in Farmer Maggot's crop!" he realised. The hobbits looked up at the sound of dogs barking and saw a scythe waving menacingly above the corn. Pippin grabbed Annie, Frodo grabbed Leah, and Merry ran alongside them. Sam stood still for a moment before looking down at the stolen goods and realising that he should probably run.

"I don't see what the problem is," Merry panted. "It was just a couple of carrots."

"And the cabbages from last week," Pippin added, "And the sacks of potatoes from the week before. And then there were the mushrooms -"

"Yes, Pippin," Merry growled. "My point is, he's clearly overreacting!" the hobbits ran on until they reached a cliff face and skidded to a stop. Sam didn't realise and ran into them. Leah shrieked and grabbed onto Frodo as they fell. They landed with an 'umph'. Annie's eyes were tightly shut, but she opened them cautiously when she realised she had stopped falling. She looked up into the beautiful green eyes of Peregrin Took.

"Er, Pippin..." she murmured. He looked down and realised their awkward position.

"Hello." Annie wouldn't have minded lying there forever, looking into Pippin's eyes. She would have done, too, if Leah hadn't reminded them of her presence with a rather loud wolf-whistle.

"Excuse me, Pip," she said as they both got up. She ran over to Leah and whacked her round the head. Pippin shot a glare at Merry, who had failed to stop his hysterical laughter. He looked up to find something to get them off that subject.

"Mushrooms!" he yelled and he, Merry and Sam ran over to collect them. Leah and Annie shared a disgusted look.

"I think we should get off the road," Frodo murmured. Leah looked over at him. He seemed entranced for a minute, staring down the track. Leah began to walk over to him and take his hand, when he looked at her, his eyes wild with terror like a deer caught in the headlights. "GET OFF THE ROAD!"


	17. Chapter 17

Arwen was just about to leave when Ellie and Legolas got back. She saw Ellie's hand in Legolas', their fingers intertwined. She winked a congratulations at Ellie, who grinned back. She and Legolas watched Arwen set off and then went in to get dinner.

Legolas seemed troubled. He was silently picking at his food, deep in thought.

"What is it?" Ellie asked, taking his hand. He didn't look at her.

"Ellie, if I'm not needed," he murmured, "I will have to return to Mirkwood."

"Then I shall come with you."

"But Ellie," he protested, "Rivendell is your home now, and I don't want to drag you away from that."

"Legolas," Ellie said, "Look at me. There is an old saying from my people. I don't remember much from them, but I remember this: _home is where the heart is. _And my heart is with you, always. Wherever you go, I will be with you. Rivendell is not home without my heart." Legolas smiled, leant across the table and kissed her. When they drew away, Legolas caressed her cheek.

"Thank you, meleth nin," he murmured, "For my heart is with you also."


	18. Chapter 18

The six hobbits huddled in the root of the tree, holding their breath. The gentle thud of hoofbeats made them jump. They were followed by a louder noise and a series of footsteps. Two metal gloves landed on the tree root just above them and the silhouette of a Black Rider looked out, narrowly missing the hobbits. Frodo pulled the Ring out of his pocket, finding the urge to put it on. He slowly drew his finger to the Ring, but Leah put her hand on top of his to stop him. Merry picked up the bag of mushrooms and threw them down the track as a decoy. The Rider turned round, mounted his horse and galloped towards the sound. The hobbits got up and ran. Frodo checked for Black Riders.

"Anything?" Merry asked.

"Nothing."

"Frodo, what was that?" Pippin asked.

"That Rider was looking for something," Merry growled, "Or some_one_... Frodo?" Frodo hesitated.

"I'm leaving the Shire," he said finally. "Me, Leah, Sam and Annie have to get to Bree."

"Right..." Merry thought a moment. "Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me." The hobbits ran down the road, but as they turned down the pier, a Black Rider saw them. As the other hobbits leapt onto the Ferry, Frodo was running as fast as he could, but the Rider was gaining on him.

"Come on, Frodo!" Leah shrieked.

"Pippin, get the rope," Merry instructed. Pippin undid the tether and pushed the boat away from the pier.

"Frodo, jump!" Frodo leapt from the edge of the pier and Sam and Leah helped to pull him up. The Black Rider skidded to a stop and let out an irritated hiss, before turning his horse around and galloping off with the four other Riders close behind him.

"Merry, where's the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked while trying to catch his breath.

"Brandywine Bridge," Merry replied, "Twenty miles."


	19. Chapter 19

_Legolas was fighting, at the walls of a fortress that probably should have looked familiar. He was alongside an army of Elven archers, all shooting the Uruk-Hai as they approached the walls of the fortress. But, despite the elves' incredible skills with their bows, the Uruk-Hai were worthy opponents. Three arrows were shot, but they were not of Elvish origin. They hit their targets; three elves went down.__  
__  
_Ellie woke with a start. She was pouring with sweat and breathing heavily. All she could think of was that dream. She would not let that come to pass. She _could_ not let that come to pass. She would not let Legolas die.


	20. Chapter 20

"Hobbits!" the gatekeeper said, surprised as he opened the door. "Six of 'em. What brings you to Bree?"  
"We wish to stay at the inn," Frodo replied. "Our business is our own."  
"Alright, young sir, I meant no offence," he mumbled as he let them through, "It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful."

The hobbits ran quickly through the rain, narrowly missing the wheels of a cart. They saw the sign they were looking for - the Prancing Pony.  
The inn was full of drunkards laughing - Frodo had to yell a couple of times before the bartender, Butterbur, heard.  
"Why, hello, little masters!" he smiled warmly. "If you're looking for accommodation, we have some nice, cosy hobbit-sized rooms available, Mr ur..." Frodo hesitated.  
"...Underhill," he decided. "My name's Underhill."  
"Underhill...?" Butterbur repeated suspiciously.  
"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey," Frodo said, "Can you tell him we're here?"  
"Gandalf?" Butterbur thought a moment. "Ah, yes! Elderly chap, big bushy beard, pointy hat?" Frodo nodded. "Not seen him for six months." Frodo turned to the other hobbits.  
"What now?" Merry asked.

Frodo was sat at a table with Leah, Sam, Pippin and Annie. He was staring into his half-pint of ale, lost in thought. Leah put her hand on his and he looked at her.  
"He'll be here," she promised. He smiled at her faith in the wizard, but he still worried.  
Merry sat down next to Pippin with a tankard about the same size as his head. Pippin gaped in awe.  
"What's that...?" he murmured.  
"This, my friend," said Merry smugly, "Is a pint."  
"It comes in pints?!" Pippin looked up at the counter, a hint of determination in his eye. "I'm getting one!"  
"But you've had a whole half already!" Sam protested. Pippin ignored him, getting up and running to the counter. He pulled himself onto a stool. "That man has done nothing but stare at you since we arrived," Sam growled, subtly gesturing to a hooded man in the corner.  
"Excuse me," Frodo said as Butterbur passed, "That man in the corner, who is he?"  
"He's one of them rangers," Butterbur murmured, "Dangerous folk they are - roaming the Wilds. His name I haven't heard, but round here, he's known as Strider."  
Frodo felt the urge to hold the Ring. He took it out of his pocket and closed his eyes, turning it round in his fingers. He heard his name repeated sinisterly through his head. Pippin's voice pulled him back to reality.  
"Baggins?" he yelled. "Sure, I know a Baggins - Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin, once removed on my mother's side, and my third cousin, twice removed on my father's side."  
"Pippin!" Frodo shrieked from the table. He got up and ran over to his cousin, grabbing him from behind.  
"Steady on, Frodo!" Pippin laughed. Frodo fell back on someone's boot and the Ring flew into the air. Strider sat up. Reaching for the Ring, it slipped onto Frodo's finger and he vanished. The men around him gasped.  
"FRODO!" Leah cried. She looked desperately for him, even though she knew she wouldn't see him. He suddenly reappeared, only to be hauled up by a man Leah recognised as Strider. Before she knew what was happening, she was gathering ammunition with the other hobbits.


	21. Chapter 21

Ellie's dream had been troubling her all day. She kept looking over at Legolas, checking that he was okay, every five minutes. Eventually, he got up and walked over to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked her. She looked at her feet awkwardly.

"Nothing," she mumbled. He lifted her chin so that her eyes connected with his. She sighed. "I had a dream last night," she confessed, "And it worried me."

"What happened?" Ellie shook her head.

"I really don't want to talk about it. I just want it out of my head." A tear fell down her face as the dream reappeared in her head, sending vivid images of Legolas' death through her mind. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around his waist and sobbed into his chest. She felt him put an arm around her, the other hand stroking her hair.

"It will be alright, Ellie," he murmured. She just wanted to tell him that it really wouldn't be alright.


	22. Chapter 22

The door swung open and Strider and Frodo looked up. Sam and Leah were stood with their fists up, ready to fight. Behind them, Pippin was carrying a chair three times his size and Merry was wielding a candlestick. Then, at the back, Annie had a mug and was trying her best to look fierce. It really wasn't working.

"Let him go," Sam growled, stepping forwards and raising his fists. "Or I'll have you, Longshanks!" Strider laughed and drew his sword.

"You have a stout heart, little hobbit, but that will not save you," he said. "You can wait no longer for the wizard, Frodo – they are coming."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

All was silent. Darkness covered Bree. It could have been a perfect night. But evil was lurking on the outskirts of the village. On hearing hoofbeats, the gatekeeper stood up to open the gate. But the gate fell, and the gatekeeper saw no more.

In the hobbits' room, the six beds had been pushed together. All the hobbits, except Leah and Annie, fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Strider sat by the window, watching, noting every abnormal noise or movement. Leah didn't object when Frodo's arm fell over her in his sleep, but Annie shivered when Pippin's hand unconsciously ventured into her hair. She had become Pippin's soulmate next to Merry, but was it more? Love wasn't a thought that crossed her mind often.

An inhuman hiss broke the silence. Sam sat up to see horses rearing outside the window. The other hobbits sat up. Frodo saw four hooded men walk out the door of the Prancing Pony, mount their horses and ride away.

"What are they?" Frodo asked.

"They used to be men," Strider replied, "Great kings of men. But Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, and one by one, they fell into shadow. They are the Nazgûl, Ringwraiths, servants to the will of Sauron. They feel the presence of the Ring at all times. They will never stop hunting you."


	23. Chapter 23

"Elrond!" Ellie called. The elf turned to her. "Have you got word from Arwen?" the look in Elrond's eyes told her the answer. "It's been nearly two days… how far is Bree?"

"Only a day on horseback," he replied. "But you must remember that she is carrying a wounded man." Ellie nodded, trying to make sense of Elrond's logic. Surely carrying a wounded man would mean travelling quicker? She didn't question his thoughts – if her daughter had gone alone on horseback to a far-off place, she'd be reassuring herself too. But to be gone two days without sight or sound of her – surely Elrond must be worried enough to take action? To not acknowledge the possibilities could prove fatal for both Arwen and the ringbearer… why was he not worried?


	24. Chapter 24

"Where are we going?" Frodo asked.

"Into the Wild," Strider replied.

"How do we know this 'Strider' is a friend of Gandalf's?" Merry murmured. Frodo turned to him.

"We have no choice but to trust him."

"But where is he taking us?" Sam asked.

"To Rivendell, master Gamgee," Strider called back. Sam's face lit up.

"D'you hear that, Mr Frodo?" he grinned. "We're going to see the elves!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Strider turned round to see the hobbits sitting, about to start cooking.

"Gentlemen, we do not stop until nightfall," Strider reminded them.

"What about breakfast?" Pippin asked, looking distraught. He stood up with Annie next to him, backing him up.

"You've already had it."

"We've had _one_, yes," Pippin said. "What about second breakfast?" Annie nodded. She and Leah had only lived in the company of hobbits a couple of weeks, but Annie already loved the idea of having seven meals a day. Strider, on the other hand, was not so impressed.

"Don't think he's heard of it, Pip," Merry said unsympathetically. Pippin's face fell.

"What about elevenses?" he asked. "Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He's heard of those, hasn't he?"

"Wouldn't count on it," Merry replied. An apple flew over the hill and Merry caught it with ease. He patted Pippin on the shoulder and walked away. A second apple flew from the other side of the hill and Annie got to it before Pippin did. A third apple hit him in the face. Annie giggled.

"You're such an idiot, Pip," she took his hand and they ran to catch up with the others.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was almost nightfall when Strider stopped the hobbits. He was looking up at the ruins of an old building.

"It is the great watchtower of Amon Sûl," he told them. "We will stay here tonight."

Aragorn dished out swords for each of the hobbits. Annie drew hers from the scabbard and gasped at how heavy it was. She did her best not to drop it, and looked over at Leah, who was doing much better at practice, with Frodo's help. Pippin looked over at Annie and walked over to her.

"D'you want a hand with that, Annie?" he smiled.

"Thanks, Pip." He moved her hands to the right places on the hilt and moved it with her until she began to get the hang of it. She wished she had something easier. _Give me a frying pan any day_, she thought. Pippin stepped back to let Annie have a go, but ran back to help when she nearly gave Strider a nasty hole in his back.

"Careful," he smiled, putting his hands back over hers and guiding the sword in figures of eight like Strider had done. Annie looked over at Leah and Frodo. They were laughing together. She smiled, wondering if she would ever love someone as much as Leah loved Frodo. Looking back at Pippin, she realised she already did.


	25. Chapter 25

It had been two days since Arwen and Elrond still hadn't taken action. When Annie questioned this, Elrond replied very simply.

"Arwen is at Bree, but there is no one there to greet her." Ellie pulled a face. That meant zilch to her.

"Would you like to repeat that so that it makes the slightest bit of sense?" she asked.

"Aragorn and the ringbearer have left Bree, so they are now in peril," Elrond explained. "Arwen shall not find them until it is almost too late." Ellie nodded. She worried about Arwen - was she in danger too? She and Arwen had become like sisters. Ellie couldn't bear to see her friend get hurt. Not after Annie and Leah. She didn't even know if they had lived like she did...


	26. Chapter 26

Annie looked over at Leah and Frodo uneasily. They were both asleep, curled up next to each other, breathing in perfect sync. They looked so peaceful. She wondered if she would ever become that close with Pippin. Although her feelings for him were new, they were strong. She didn't know why she loved him like she did. It was typical - of all the hobbits in the Shire, of course she would fall for the youngest, the most reckless one, the one who was most likely going to get her killed. Maybe it was that which drew her to him. She'd always had a sense of adventure, always running off to climb the biggest tree or ride the biggest roller coaster - adrenaline was constantly coursing through her veins, and now she had found her kindred spirit, the one who shared her sense of adventure.

Looking back at the other hobbits, Annie saw that they had decided to go with their 'fool-proof' plan to light a fire for supper. Sighing, she went and sat next to Pippin by the fire, warming herself. He put his arm round her and she rested her head on his shoulder, smiling softly.

It was about half an hour later when Frodo and Leah stirred at Pippin's voice.

"What are you doing?!" Frodo cried. Merry smiled smugly.

"Tomatoes, sausages and nice crispy bacon."

"We saved some for you, Mr Frodo," Sam offered. Frodo stood up and ran to the fire, stomping it out.

"Well that's nice!" Pippin yelled sarcastically. "Ash on my tomatoes!" the hiss of the Ringwraiths rang out across the plains. The hobbits ran to the edge of the watchtower and saw the Ringwraiths approaching on horseback. Annie drew her sword and once again nearly dropped it.

"Wish me luck," she grinned at Pippin.

"Good luck," he smiled, kissing her cheek. Annie stood in a daze for a moment, before smiling back at Pippin.

"You too." The hobbits ran to the top of the watchtower, standing together. The Ringwraiths approached them and Annie was beginning to wonder why the heck she decided it was a good idea to stand at the front of their huddle. She held up her sword. Her arms shook from fear and cold. The Ringwraiths pushed her aside with ease. Sam and Pippin's eyes thinned. Annie had become the sister Sam had never had. Pippin felt something for her he had never felt before - he loved her.

"Back you devils!" Sam yelled. He and Pippin leapt forward but were brushed aside, leaving Merry, Leah and Frodo vulnerable. And once Merry and Leah were taken care of, Frodo was left to face the five Ringwraiths alone.

"Frodo, run!" Leah yelled. Frodo looked at her sorrowfully, and then disappeared.


	27. Chapter 27

Ellie sighed. She was looking through stuff in her room, when she came across something she'd never seen before. It said 'KINDLE' on the front, and when Ellie tapped the big grey bit in the middle, it suddenly became covered in black and white lines, almost like a book.

Ellie suddenly had a deja-vu moment, remembering a dream where she had been waiting for a light to go out so she could read. She was with two other girls - Annie and Leah - and she was _human_. It was strange – she had always been an elf, although she had no memory of her life before she woke in Rivendell. But she'd had an accident, bumped her head and got amnesia. That was the most logical explanation.

_What about illogical explanations? _What if she really had been human once? Ellie laughed the idea off. No chance.


	28. Chapter 28

"Frodo!" Leah shrieked. She saw a Ringwraith raise its sword and stab the floor. A cry rang out that sounded scarily like Frodo. Strider ran onto the scene, waving a burning torch at the Ringwraiths and setting their cloaks alight. They leapt off the watchtower, into the darkness. Frodo reappeared, screaming with pain and clutching his shoulder. "Oh, Frodo!" Leah ran to him and fell to her knees. As she cried, a tear fell onto Frodo's cheek. She brushed it away as the other hobbits ran over.  
"Strider!" Sam yelled. Strider ran over. He picked up the sword and watched the blade disintegrate into the wind.  
"He has been stabbed by a Morgul blade," he murmured, tossing the hilt away. "This is beyond my skills to heal. He needs Elvish medicine." He hauled Frodo up and slung him over his shoulder.  
"Is he going to die?" Leah asked between sobs.  
"He is passing into the Shadow World," Strider explained gravely. "He will soon become a wraith like them." Frodo began to call out for Gandalf. Leah took his hand.  
"Hold on, Frodo." She let go of his hand as they began to run.  
"We must get him to the house of Elrond," Strider told them.  
"But we're six days from Rivendell," Sam protested, "He'll never make it."

Strider and the hobbits stopped in a clearing as Frodo began to cry out in pain. Strider lay him down on the grass and Leah ran over to him, taking his hand in hers. His eyes stared into hers, though they were unseeing. She cradled his head in her lap and leant down to kiss his forehead.  
"Please don't die, Frodo," she whispered to him. "I love you." He moaned and he caressed his cheek. "You're going to get through this, Frodo," she promised him.  
"Sam!" Strider called. Sam looked up. "Do you know the athelas plant?"  
"Athelas?" Sam repeated.  
"Kingsfoil?" Sam's face lit up.  
"Aye, it's a weed."  
"It may help to slow the poison," Strider said as he and Sam ran to find the plant.

Strider was just about to cut a few leaves from the kingsfoil plant when he felt the cold tip of a sword on his neck and he stopped moving.  
"What's this?" the voice was angelic, but there was a hint of teasing in her voice. "A ranger, caught of his guard?"


	29. Chapter 29

"Arwen has found the ringbearer," Elrond murmured to himself. He was sat in his office, leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed. "She will be home soon." He began to hum a song. Ellie poked her head round the door, expecting to see someone other than Elrond. He had begun to sing the words quietly in Elvish. Ellie stepped into the room and stood quietly for a few seconds until Elrond opened his eyes and saw her standing patiently. "Ah, Ellie," he sat up quickly and resumed a more Elrond-ish position. "What can I do for you?"  
"What was that song you were singing?" Elrond's face softened.  
"It is an Elven lullaby," he murmured, a sad look in his eye, "That Arwen's mother used to sing to her when she was just a child. It is a shame that Elladan and Elrohir did not get to hear her sing."  
"Why?" Elrond sighed.  
"By the time they were born, she..." he trailed off, a tear falling from his eye. "She was ill, very ill. Elves don't normally get ill, or die, but..." he paused as more tears began to fall. "For some reason, she had been cursed with the mortality of a human. She died giving birth to Elrohir."  
"I'm sorry," Ellie murmured. She felt helpless as Elrond sobbed. He put his face in his hands and cried.  
"You must understand, Ellie, she never wanted to go to the Undying Lands. She loved Rivendell more than anything in Middle-earth. She would have chosen mortality, had she not been mortal. She was happier."

_This part of the story is completely AU. This isn't how Celebrian died. It's __just my head canon. Just wanted to make that clear. _


	30. Chapter 30

The hobbits watched in amazement as the tall woman approached Frodo, speaking in a language unknown to all of them.

"Who is she?" Annie asked. The woman tucked her hair behind her ears.

"She's an elf," Sam murmured in awe. Strider knelt down beside her.

"We must get him to my father," she said, quickly examining Frodo's condition. She picked him up and carried him to her horse. Strider helped her to get him into the saddle before turning to her. They had a small, hushed conversation in Elvish.

"What are they saying?" Merry asked.

"I do not fear them," the elf said to Strider. He sighed and helped her into the saddle behind Frodo.

"Arwen," he looked up at her. "Ride hard. Don't look back." Arwen murmured something to her horse in Elvish and they shot off into the forest.

"What are you doing?!" Sam yelled. "Those wraiths are still out there!"


	31. Chapter 31

Ellie woke to the sound of hooves on stone, and looked out the window to see Arwen and a very ill-looking creature ride into the courtyard. Ellie threw on a dress and ran out to meet them.

"Ellie," Arwen called to her as she ran out, "I need help - Frodo is close to death."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was two days later when five hobbits and a man walked into Rivendell. Ellie's face erupted into a grin as she rushed out, seeing the two faces she thought she'd never see again.

"ANNIE! LEAH!" she ran out into the courtyard yelling their names at the top of her lungs.

"ELLIE!" the two girls shrieked in unison, before they ran and hugged their friend.

"I thought you were dead!"

"We thought you were dead," Annie laughed, before thoroughly looking her over. "You're an elf!" she realised.

"And you're hobbits!" Ellie replied.

"This is so amazing!" Leah grinned. Then she remembered. "Is Frodo okay?"


	32. Chapter 32

Leah was sat on the chair next to Frodo's bed. She was stroking his hair and telling him all the reasons why he couldn't die. Gandalf walked in on her last reason.

"And you can't die because I love you," she said loudly, "And I don't know what I'd do without you." She looked up and saw Gandalf smiling down at her.

"I think you should get some rest," he told her. She nodded and walked out.

It was about an hour later when Annie and Ellie knocked on her door.

"There's someone who wants to see you," Annie told her. They escorted her to Frodo's room, where he was sat up, talking to Gandalf.

"FRODO!" she ran into the room, leapt onto the bed and pulled him into a hug. Gandalf got up and walked out, closing the door.

"Did you mean it?" Frodo whispered into her ear. Leah pulled away.

"What?"

"You said you loved me," he murmured as Leah blushed. "Leah, when you kissed me at Bilbo's party, was that love?" Leah hesitated, then nodded. Frodo smiled at her blush and pressed his lips to hers. Leah closed her eyes and kissed him back. His hand made its way into her blonde curls and her hand was on his bare chest. As she kissed him, she knew that this was the person she wanted to spend her life with.


	33. Chapter 33

Annie was in her room doing nothing. Ellie was out with Legolas, and Leah was with Frodo. She was the only one single.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she called. Pippin stuck his head round the door and smiled.

"Hello, Annie," he said, walking in and sitting down beside her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Annie sighed. "Everyone else is out with their boyfriends."

"I'm not," Pippin smiled. Annie couldn't help but smile back – Pippin's smile was contagious. "Do you want to go for a walk?" Annie nodded. Pippin took her hand and they walked out the room.

xxx

"It's so beautiful here," Annie murmured. They were walking through a path marked out by trees. Annie saw one with low branches and grinned.

"Come on," she laughed, giving a little tug on his hand. They ran over to the tree and began to climb.

Annie and Pippin were sat on one of the lower branches of the tree, overlooking the river. Annie looked over at Pippin, before slipping from the branch and landing in the water. Pippin looked up at the noise and saw Annie below him.

"Come on, Pip," she laughed. "The water's cool." Pippin grinned and dove into the water next to her. They splashed water at each other for a while, before running out the river, laughing and dripping wet. Pippin frowned when his hair flopped over his eyes and water dripped onto his nose. Annie giggled and brushed his hair back. She wiped the water from his nose. He shook his head and water sprayed everywhere.

"Pippin!" Annie laughed, squirming as cold droplets trickled down her neck. Pippin put his hand on her neck and started to wipe away the water when Annie began to giggle. "Pip, stop, that tickles!" Pippin grinned.

"That's a valuable piece of information," he said, leaping on her and tackling her to the ground. They rolled around on the floor a while before Pippin gave up and lay down beside Annie. She looked over at him, laughing and breathing heavily. His hand fell onto hers and they both looked down awkwardly. Pippin was about to pull his hand away when Annie intertwined their fingers. Pippin looked up into her eyes. She smiled softly and wriggled closer to him.

"Hi," she murmured. Their faces were inches from each other. Without thinking, she pushed her lips to his, closing her eyes. After a couple of seconds, they pulled apart. "I love you, Pippin."

"Good," Pippin smiled. "Because I love you too."


	34. Chapter 34

Leah frowned. Three hobbits and an elf. Annie and Pippin were missing.

The hobbits and Ellie had arranged to go to Elrond's 'secret' council. Frodo and Legolas had been invited, leaving the others to invite themselves. But Annie and Pippin hadn't turned up.

"Coincidence much?" Merry murmured. He had managed to coax Pippin's feelings for Annie out, and Leah had listened for ages to Annie's sad speeches on how she and Pippin would never be together.

Leah shrugged. They would just have to miss out. The hobbits and Ellie ducked just as Annie and Pippin charged round the corner, still wet.

"What's new?" Annie asked, ignoring Leah and Merry's sniggers.

"Nothing yet," Ellie replied, "Unless you count you and Pippin." Annie blushed. "When were you going to tell me this?"

"Says you!" Annie scoffed. "I found out from our _maid_ about you and Legolas!" now it was Ellie's turn to blush.

"And what about Leah and Frodo?" Ellie asked. "They keep looking at each other weirdly." Annie shrugged.

"Meh," she sighed, "They're old news. They just haven't made it public yet."

"Do they know we know?"

"Nope," Annie grinned, "But we can get it out of Leah no problem."

"Get what out of me?" Leah interrupted. The two girls looked up.

"Er…" they thought a moment when they heard a hiss.

"Get down!" it was Sam. He gestured to where Elrond was making his way to the front of the council. Annie and Pippin ducked just as he began to talk.

"Strangers from distant lands," he began, "Friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-earth stands on the brink of destruction; none can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate – this one doom." He turned to Frodo. "Bring forth the Ring." Frodo slowly got up and walked over to the stone table in front of Elrond. He put the Ring down and walked away, sighing in relief as if a heavy weight had just been lifted from his shoulders.

"So it is true…" a man murmured. He stood up, an air of importance about him. "In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark. But in the West, a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: 'Your doom is near at hand'. Isildur's bane is found…" he walked over to the table and his hand was hovering over the Ring, ready to grab it at any moment.

"Boromir!" Elrond snapped. The man (Boromir, apparently) pulled his hand away quickly. Gandalf stood and began uttering words in a foreign language. At first, it sounded like Elvish, but the words were too bitter and jagged to belong to that language. Elrond's expression turned to anger. "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imlandris!" he growled at Gandalf.

"I do not beg your pardon, master Elrond," Gandalf replied, "For the Black Speech of Mordor may still be heard in every corner of the West. The Ring is altogether evil!"

"It is a gift," Boromir murmured. Ellie rolled her eyes. She didn't expect him to say anything particularly clever. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" he stood up again, clearly starting another 'motivational' speech. "Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy – let us use it against him."

"You cannot wield it," Strider stood up, "None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Boromir glared at him, clearly not used to the idea of being wrong.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Legolas stood up.

"This is no mere ranger!" he yelled.

"You go, Leg!" Ellie murmured. Leah and Annie looked at her weirdly.

"Leg?!" they whispered. They turned their attention back to the council.

"He is Aragorn," Legolas continued, "Son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Boromir's face softened.

"Aragorn...?" he repeated. "This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas replied. Aragorn sighed.

"Havo dad, Legolas," he said. Legolas sat down.

"Aragorn is right," Gandalf said, "We cannot use it."

"We have only one choice," Elrond said slowly. "The Ring must be destroyed." A dwarf stood up, wielding an axe above his head.

"Then what are we waiting for?" he brought his axe down hard on the Ring, but it cracked and split on impact, sending the dwarf flying backwards. Frodo jumped back in his chair and put his head in his hand. Leah resisted the urge to run and give him a hug.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we possess," Elrond told him. "It was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came." He looked at the council expectantly. "One of you must do this." A sigh came from the council. Boromir had a bone to pick. Again.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," he growled. "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is darkness there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"

"Well, that was encouraging," Annie whispered sarcastically. It looked like she wasn't the only one upset by Boromir's speech - Legolas was on his feet again.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?!" he snapped. "The Ring must be destroyed!" Gimli rose.

"And I suppose you think _you're _the one to do it?" he yelled.

"And when we fail, what then?" Boromir asked. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli roared. At this, the other elves rose and began to argue with the dwarves. Gandalf stood and began to yell.

"It's like watching politics!" Annie growled.

"What's politics?" Pippin asked.

"You don't want to know, Pip," Annie said. "It's too confusing." As she turned back, Frodo stood and said something. He repeated it, and Gandalf's face fell.

"No, Frodo," Leah murmured, on the brink of tears.

"I WILL TAKE THE RING TO MORDOR!" Frodo yelled. The arguing stopped and everyone turned to him. "Though," he murmured. "I do not know the way..." Gandalf put his hand on Frodo's shoulder.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," he smiled. Aragorn walked over and bent down to Frodo's height.

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," he said sincerely. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas smiled.

"And my axe," Gimli said gruffly. Then, to everyone's surprise, Boromir stood.

"You carry the fate of us all, little one," he said. "If indeed it is the will of the council, Gondor will see it done."

"Hey!" Sam yelled, running to join the group, with Leah close behind him.

"Frodo's not going anywhere without us," Leah said defiantly.

"No indeed," Elrond smirked, "It seems hardly possible to separate you, even when he is invited to a secret council and you are not."

"Oi!" Ellie yelled.

"We're coming too!" Pippin said as they ran to join the others. "Besides," he added, "You need people of intelligence on this mission... quest... thing."

"Well, that rules you out, Pip," Merry laughed. Pippin looked at Merry, and then at Annie for support. His face fell when he saw her giggling.

"Twelve companions," Elrond smiled. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great!" Pippin grinned. "Where are we going?"


	35. Chapter 35

"Was it the right decision?" Frodo murmured. He and Leah were sat in the forest alone. Leah looked over at him.

"You got the Ring this far, Frodo," Leah replied, taking his hand. "There's no one better to take it." Frodo smiled.

"Thanks." He leant over and kissed her. "You're the best." Leah smiled back.

"I know." Frodo laughed.

"Always the modest one." Leah yawned and she and Frodo lay down. "Tired?" he asked. She nodded and snuggled up next to him, putting her head on his chest. She fell asleep to the steady beating of his heart.

xxx

When Leah woke, her fingers were intertwined with Frodo's, who had fallen asleep. She smiled. It was dark, and the moon was drifting into cloud, leaving the pair in starlight. Romantic as it was, Leah had to wake Frodo. It was getting late.

"Frodo?" he groaned stubbornly. "You need to wake up now."

"Five more minutes," he mumbled.

"Nope," she said, standing and trying to haul her boyfriend up. "Come on, Frodo." He reluctantly opened his eyes and Leah smiled. "There," she said softly, "Wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"Yes," he smirked sleepily, kissing her cheek. He slipped his hand round her waist and they walked back.


	36. Chapter 36

Ellie looked over her shoulder, a hint of sadness in her eye. She had no idea that saying goodbye to Rivendell would be so hard. She hadn't been there very long, but Rivendell was home.

She looked up at Legolas. She would always feel at home with him. A tear fell from her eye. Legolas looked down at her and took her hand.

"You will see Rivendell again, Ellie," he assured her, "You will live through this." Ellie smiled, wishing she could share the same hope as Legolas. She looked over at her hobbit friends. Leah, Frodo and Sam were talking seriously, whereas Annie, Pippin and Merry were laughing and joking as if they were just going on a little walking trip. _Must be a hobbit thing._

xxx

The Fellowship had stopped for a bit on the verge of a range of mountains. Frodo and Leah were sat watching Annie, Pippin, Merry and Boromir sparring. Ellie, Legolas and Aragorn were yelling words of encouragement, Sam was happily cooking, and Gimli was complaining to Gandalf about a mine.

Annie, Merry and Pippin had gotten much better under Boromir's tuition – they were beginning to get the hang of it, apart from when Boromir was yelling "RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT!" which just confused Annie, who barely knew her left from her right. Boromir swung his sword a little too fast and caught Pippin's finger.

"Argh!" he growled in pain.

"Oh, sorry, Pippi-" Boromir didn't get to finish his sentence. Pippin kicked him in the shin and he fell over. Well, Annie supposed it was his shin. But judging from Boromir's facial expression, it could have been elsewhere. When he was on the floor, the three hobbits leapt on him, keeping him pinned to the ground.

"For the Shire!" Pippin yelled. "Hold him down!" The four ended up giggling on the floor. Annie looked up to see a large black patch in the sky.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Nothing," Gimli said, waving his hand dismissively, "Just a whiff of cloud."

"It's moving fast," Boromir noted, "And against the wind." Legolas looked up.

"Crebain from Dunland!" he yelled, jumping up. "Hide!"


	37. Chapter 37

The Fellowship was squashed tightly under a rock, holding their breath. The black birds flew over them and carried on.

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf growled. "The south passage is being watched. We will have to take the pass of Caradhras."

Ellie shivered. She hadn't come dressed for a snowy mountain, and she saw that everyone else had. Except Legolas. She trudged over to him.

"Hi Leg," she said as her teeth chattered.

"Oh, hi Elle," he smiled, putting his arm round her. They walked together, watching Merry, Pippin, Annie and Leah have a snowball fight. Annie shrieked when Leah stuffed a snowball down her back. In revenge, Annie picked up a heap of snow and promptly dumped it on Leah's head. She frowned and shuffled back to Frodo for consolation.

Legolas looked Ellie looked up at what sounded like yelling. Legolas looked over at Gandalf when he realised it was carried by the wind.

"There is a fell voice in the air," he told the wizard.

"It's Saruman," Gandalf called back. "He's trying to bring down the mountain." The hobbits huddled together next to Ellie and Legolas as Gandalf yelled back into the wind.

It was either Gandalf's yelling or Saruman's magic that triggered the avalanche, but Ellie found herself even colder, under a heap of snow. She dug her way out and found herself next to Annie and Leah.

"You two had to start a snowball fight, didn't you?" she growled. "You should have known the wizards would take it too far." Legolas and Gimli popped up next to them, and then the other hobbits. Boromir stuck his head out to find the snow falling heavier than before.

"We need to get off the mountain!" he called to Gandalf. "This will be the death of the hobbits!" Gandalf turned to Boromir.

"No!" he yelled back stubbornly.

"Let us go through the mines of Moria," Gimli suggested. The Fellowship argued about this for a while, until Gandalf turned to Frodo.

"Let the ringbearer decide." Frodo looked at his freezing friends – Ellie was blue and the hobbits had icicles in their hair, which fell off as they shivered.

"We will go through the mines." Gandalf gave him one more sorrowful look before turning to the rest of the Fellowship.

"So be it."


	38. Chapter 38

"The mines are no place for a pony," Aragorn said, "Even one as brave as Bill." Annie, Leah and Ellie looked over at Sam, who looked like he was about to cry. He and Bill had taken to each other like a house on fire, and to see his beloved pony wander off into the wilderness was heart breaking for him. Ellie walked over and put her hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "Bill's a smart pony – he knows his way home." Sam didn't look too convinced, and threw his arms around Bill's neck.

"Bye, Bill," he sniffed. He stepped back and Aragorn slid the bridle from his face and let him trot off into the darkness.

Annie looked over at Pippin and Merry, who were throwing rocks into the lake. Aragorn grabbed Pippin's wrist as he was about to throw his next stone.

"Do not disturb the water," he murmured. The two hobbits looked after him in confusion. Pippin quickly lost interest and sat down next to Annie. She, Leah, Ellie and Legolas were sat watching Gandalf fail to open the door. After about ten minutes, he gave up.

"What are we going to do?" Pippin asked.

"Knock your head against these walls, Peregrin Took!" he snapped. "And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from your foolish questions, I will try and find the opening words!" Pippin hung his head in shame.

"Hey!" Annie yelled, standing up. "What's he done wrong?! I bet _you_ didn't become so high and mighty without ever asking a question!" Gandalf shot a glare at her and she looked over at Pippin. "Just ignore him, Pip," she took his hand. "Just because he's taller than you, he's no better than you." Pippin looked as if he was about to cry. It was clear that this wasn't the first time Gandalf had had a go at Pippin, and it hurt him to be put down like that. Annie put her arm round him and kissed his cheek.

Frodo looked at the doors in wonder.

"It's a riddle," he murmured. Leah looked up. "Speak friend and enter." He said it as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Gandalf, what's the Elvish word for 'friend'?"

"Mellon," he replied. The doors obediently opened. The Fellowship got up and walked into the ominous darkness.


	39. Chapter 39

Walking into the mines, Leah held Frodo's hand so tightly he could have sworn it would fall off. Leah wasn't afraid of the dark, but there was something about this mine – it smelt of death.

Gimli was boasting about his cousin's wealth and ale. Leah thought of hobbit ale and licked her lips, suddenly realising how thirsty she was.

"This is no mine…" Boromir interrupted the silence. "It is a tomb." The hobbits looked down and saw a grinning skull staring back at them. Annie screamed and instinctively leapt into Pippin's arms, shivering and whimpering. Ellie knelt down and pulled up an arrow, handing it to Legolas for identification.

"Goblins!" he spat, throwing it back on the ground in disgust.

"Out!" Gandalf yelled. "Everybody out!" the Fellowship ran out the mines. Turning back to face the doors, Leah felt wet skin on the back of her hand.

"Leah!" Frodo yelled. She turned to see him dangling from a huge tentacle, belonging to an even bigger octopus-like creature.

"Frodo!" Leah shrieked. The rest of the Fellowship turned and ran towards the water.

"Strider!" Sam yelled. He and Leah drew their swords and began to slash at the creature's nearest tentacles. Aragorn, Legolas and Ellie ran to the lake. Ellie drew her sword and Legolas quickly fired three more arrows into the creature's head. It reluctantly threw Frodo down on the floor. Legolas fired two more arrows to finish the job.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf yelled. The Fellowship ran back into the mines as the creature dragged its wounded body onto dry land and began to tear down the walls of the mines. The Fellowship only just got into the mines before the door caved in. Gandalf sighed. "So we must now face the long darkness of Moria."


	40. Chapter 40

Ellie grimaced as Dwarven bones crunched beneath her feet. She looked over at Legolas. He had an arrow notched and ready to fire. She made a mental note to get him to teach her how to use a bow. Once they were out of Moria.

Annie looked down at the bones beneath her, picking one up and turning it over in her hands as she walked. She knew that you could learn a lot about people from their bones. She remembered once wanting to learn about peoples' bones for a job. Well, partly. Forensic science, it was called. It didn't mean anything to her anymore. Just two words.

Leah was still next to Frodo. She felt so safe next to him, so secure. But Frodo was clearly uneasy, jumping at every crack of a bone. His eyes were wild with terror, although he tried not to show it, for Leah's sake. She was depending on him, he knew that. The last thing she needed was for him to break down.

"Behold," Gandalf murmured, "The Dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf." The Fellowship entered a large room. _This is a city? _Annie thought, looking at the room, which was about the size of one of the great halls in Rivendell. Gimli ran forwards, to a stone box, took one look at the engraving and fell on his knees, crying. The rest of the Fellowship ran over. "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, lord of Moria," Gandalf read. "He is dead, then. It is as I feared."


End file.
